


After All This Time You're Still Here

by Smooty



Series: Good Omens [2]
Category: Good Omens (TV), Good Omens - Neil Gaiman & Terry Pratchett
Genre: Aziraphale is a Mess (Good Omens), First Kiss, M/M, Other, Stargazing
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-09-02
Updated: 2019-09-02
Packaged: 2020-10-05 16:41:44
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,220
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20491961
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Smooty/pseuds/Smooty
Summary: Aziraphale wanted to kiss Crowley. And God did it feel good to finally admit that. Now he just had to figure out how to do it.





	After All This Time You're Still Here

Aziraphale wanted to kiss Crowley. And  _ God _ did it feel good to finally admit that. Now he just had to figure out how to do it. 

It had to be perfect, of course. Crowley deserved perfection, and the angel wanted to give it to him. But Aziraphale, for all his gentlemen's clubs and romantic literature, was not particularly skilled in the art of seduction or kissing. Oh sure he knew the basics, and he wasn’t an  _ amateur _ , but that didn’t seem like enough. Everything had to be precisely right. And so he began planning. 

His initial plan was to do it at St. James’ Park, after they had a lovely dinner at the Ritz but before they went back to the bookshop for a nightcap. But halfway through the dessert course, he realized that this was the antithesis of special or perfect. They had been on thousands, if not tens of thousands of dinners, and nearly as many riversides walk. They had definitely gotten drunk together more times than either. No, he had to think of something better. Something that suited the warm, fluttering feeling he got in his chest when he looked at Crowley. 

Museum trips, long car rides, even one well-intentioned but poorly executed trip to the mall in which Crowley caused a stamped at the Apple Store. Every single time Aziraphale tried to plan the Big Moment, he backed out at the last second because he thought he could do it better. Crowley hadn’t seemed to notice anything yet, but the angel knew he would eventually. He was running out of time. So this next attempt had to be The One. 

Luckily the stars had aligned (both metaphorically and physically) and presented him with the perfect opportunity. Southern England was due for some fortuitously clear weather just in time for what was promising to be a rare and spectacular astrological event. Crowley  _ loved _ the stars, even if he tried to pretend he didn’t whenever they had the pleasure of getting outside the city together. Add in a few special touches and it would be the perfect way to finally kiss the demon. 

He made sure to ask Crowley to meet him at the bookshop on The Night and to have everything prepared beforehand and tucked away in a picnic basket so Crowley couldn’t see. As expected, the demon was right on time, waltzing through the doors with characteristic dramatic flair. 

“Another picnic angel?” he asked, flopping himself down into an armchair while Aziraphale fussed about with closing the shop. If he really wanted to he could simply snap his fingers and everything would be settled, but he always was one to do things the proper way as much as he could. 

“Sort of, you’ll see when we get there. You did drive the Bentley over like I asked, didn’t you?” Aziraphale hefted the basket up by the handle and stood, taking a last look around to make sure he had everything. “It would be much too far for us to walk I’m afraid.”

“Of course I did.” Aziraphale smiled and offered his free arm for Crowley to take, which he did after only a moment of hesitation.

“Jolly good then. We should get going then, wouldn’t want to miss the show.” Crowley raised an eyebrow but made no arguments, which was expected. In all of his long memory, Aziraphale could not remember a time when Crowley turned him down for one fo their meetings, so he didn’t even consider the option it might happen. 

The drive to Aziraphale’s personally picked location was quiet outside of the soft crooning of Freddie Mercury and the occasional murmured directions. Once Crowley broke the silence to ask if Aziraphale knew where he was going, only to follow the angel’s directions to the letter without getting a solid answer. Luckily he had chosen a location that wasn’t too far out, just far enough to escape the sky-bleaching light of the city. They arrived within the hour, partially due to Crowley’s insane driving, to the large empty field he had picked. 

“Uh, are you sure this is right? Kind of a strange place to be setting up in the middle of the night,” Crowley said, peering out the windscreen at the rather blank landscape. The field had been left to its natural state, which was beautiful all the same. It was covered in wildflowers and patches of tall billowing grass all draped in the moonlight. Aziraphale, who may have spent a few nights over the past week standing in similar fields, felt that this one had something special. He felt his stomach swoop as he looked it over. It had to go well this time.

“Yes well, I do have a few things that will make us more comfortable, though it’ll take a miracle to get them here form the bookshop,” Aziraphale explained with a slightly sheepish look. He hadn’t been able to figure out a better way to get the telescope and seating to the field without Crowley seeing. 

“If you say so angel, lead the way.” Crowley got out of the car and Aziraphale followed, fiddling around with the basket before offering Crowley his hand this time. The demon hesitated again, those golden eyes peering over the top of his sunglasses before tentatively pressing his palm to Aziraphale’s. To his credit, Aziraphale only blushed a little, and it was mostly covered by the darkness. 

He led them further into the field, far enough away from the road that they wouldn’t be interrupted by any cars (not that there would be any, with a little angelic intervention), to a clear area. The hand he held the basket with was shaking with anticipation and anxiety. The telescope, table, and chairs were already placed, Aziraphale having expected them to arrive just before the clearing came into view. He set the picnic basket down on the table and began to unpack; there was a thermos of tea still piping hot, biscuits, and a lovely Dom Pérignon hidden in the very bottom. 

“Stargazing?” Crowley asked, doing a circle to take in the entire area. “We drove all that way outside London for stargazing?”

“Oh, be quiet. I know you adore it, Crowley. You’re very obvious dear,” Aziraphale laughed, pouring out the tea into two cups and handing his partner the one. Crowley took it with a put-out look, sipping dramatically. 

“I don’t know what you mean.” Normally Aziraphale would roll his eyes, but he was trying to make this the most memorable night of their lives, so he abstained. 

“Biscuit?” the angel offered, taking on himself and nibbling the corner. Crowley held a hand up in refusal and turned to the telescope, eyebrow raised. 

“S’a powerful one, isn’t it? Where’d you get this?” He ran a finger down the body and around where the lens sat. 

Aziraphale looked pleased as punch, happy that Crowley was showing some interest. “The internet, my dear. The loveliest attendant at the library helps me purchase it from some website called Rainforest?”

“Amazon,” Crowley corrected absentmindedly, setting his tea aside to get both hands on the telescope. 

“Yes, that’s the one! I do so struggle with all these new internet companies. Anyway, the information online promised it was one of the best options for viewing this particular event.” Aziraphale set his tea aside as well and joined Crowley. “In fact, I do believe it should be starting soon if you’d like to take a look.”

He turned the eyepiece towards the demon and gestured for him to lean down. Crowley rolled his eyes but again, did as the angel instructed. With a precision that someone who never used a telescope before would not have, Crowley focused on the sky. Aziraphale, rather than looking up, studied Crowley’s face, waiting for the moment when he’d see it. 

“Oh!” Crowley blurted, suddenly leaning in fully with interest. “Is that…?”

“I do believe it is, dearest,” Aziraphale murmured, tracing Crowley’s delighted expression with his eyes. It was rare that Crowley smiled his real smile, the one that wrinkled his cheeks and highlighted the sharpness of his face in a dashing way. Aziraphale had seen it only a handful of times over the millennia and could remember each one. “I was hoping we could enjoy it together. And maybe, when it’s over you could show me a few of your… well the ones you had a hand in making.”

Crowley studied the meteor shower quietly, oohing and awwing occasionally before stepping back. “You have to look, angel, the view is amazing.”

Aziraphale nodded, taking one last long look at Crowley before peering through the lens. The view truly was spectacular; he was able to see the intricate, swirling trail the hurtling debris left behind. But he was more focused on what he could see out of the corner of his eye; Crowley, gazing up with his sunglasses pushed up into his hair. The moonlight made his golden eyes glow with a cool fire, so unlike their usual hot blaze. Aziraphale straightened back up, knowing that it was now, or never. 

“Crowley?” he began, wringing his hands nervously. The demon hummed in response, not turning away from the night sky. “There is something, I wish to do--o-or to speak with you about.”

That did get Crowley’s attention. He turned that glittering gaze on Aziraphale and the angel felt his heart stop--literally. “You can talk to me about anything angel.”

“I know, love,” Aziraphale murmured, taking a step closer. He saw the way Crowley’s mouth twitched at the pet name. Was that a smile or a frown? Once again he felt the extream desire to back out of his whole plan, but he had to keep it under control. He needed to do this. “It’s been some months since The Big One, and I’ve been thinking… There is something I’d very much like to try with you.”

“Anything,” Crowley said, glancing down at the space between them. Aziraphale nearly sent thanks to the heavens for the way the demon’s eyelashes brushed against his cheeks. “I’d do anything you want me to Aziraphale. Just say the word.”

How had he managed 6000 years without the taste of Crowley on his lips? How could he last another minute? “It’s more something I’d like to do to you?”

Crowley didn’t say anything, but Aziraphale knew what the answer would be and that gave him courage. “I wanted this to be perfect. To try and make up for, well, you going so slowly for me all these years.”

The demon made a tiny sound like he wanted to speak but the words wouldn’t come out. Instead, he raised a hand, reaching out but not quite touching. The actual act of closing the gap would be up to the angel. Aziraphale promptly did so, clasping Crowley’s hand in his then reaching the other up to cup his jaw. 

“I want to kiss you, darling. I’ve wanted to kiss you for so long, and now I’m able to but I wanted it to be perfect.” His voice was shaking but Aziraphale was a longstanding champion of the Brittish “stiff upper lip”. 

Crowley made another noise, this one like a choked sob. He could only nod his head and grip the angel’s hand tighter. Aziraphale took one last second to memorize the way Crowley looked in this moment, all starlight and love, then leaned in to press their lips together. 

A long second or pure weightlessness, and then Aziraphale felt himself falling. Not Falling, falling, but diving endlessly into  _ Crowley Crowley Crowley _ . All he could taste was Crowley and the tea he’d had and something like warmth. The press of his body was fresh apples and electric shocks. It was like Crowley was his other half and they were finally, finally coming together after an eternity apart. It felt like coming home. 

“Aziraphale--” Crowley gasped into his mouth, shuddery and unsure. Aziraphale felt like the meteors above, burning up and leaving something beautiful in their wake. “Aziraphale I--”

“Crowley, my dearest Crowley,” he answered, kissing Crowley’s nose, his cheeks, his eyelids, light as feathers. “I don’t know how I’ve lived without you all these years.”

“You’ve had me, angel. Always,” Crowley said fervently. He cradled his arms around Azirapahel’s shoulder and hip, keeping them as close as possible. He was looking the angel in the eye now. 

“I’m sorry I didn’t do this sooner,” Aziraphale breathed, regret dripping from each word. “I had to--I wanted it to be exactly right and every time I tried I would think it wasn’t good enough for you.”

The laugh that rattled out of Crowley’s throat was wet. “You could have kissed me in the bathroom of that ridiculous bar we went to a few weeks ago and it would have been perfect, angel.”

“I think I know that now. I’m so sorry Crowley.” He would apologize forever if the demon needed to hear it. It was the least he could do to make up for pushing him away time and time again. 

“It’s OK. Or well, it’s going to be if you keep kissing me like that,” Crowley joked, but Aziraphale knew there would be another time, maybe many times where he’d feel the need to apologize again. 

For now, though, he’d settle for whatever made Crowley the happiest at that moment. “Of course, my dear. Though I would still like it if you would show me your favourite stars.”

“My favourite stars are right here angel,” Crowley said, tracing his fingers over Aziraphale’s eyelids. With another vibrant blush, Aziraphale pressed another short kiss to his beloved’s lips. 

“Your second and third favourite, then?” He cast a hand towards the telescope and picnic set up. “I have champagne.”

Crowley took a deep--only slightly shaky--breath. “Dom Pérignon?”

“Of course, I know it’s one of your favourites.”

“Well then, I could be tempted to show you a few of the stars I had a hand in creating. And there’s a certain nebula that we should be able to see from here, it’s the most beautiful shade of blue…”

“That sounds perfect. Why don’t you sort that out and I’ll get us a glass each.” Neither of them made any move to let go of the other. In fact, Crowley may have tightened his grip on the angel. Aziraphale threaded a hand through his lover’s hair and pulled Crowley impossibly closer, tucking his head under his neck. It let him indulge in the smell of the demon’s hair, that spice and mischief smell he’d come to covet so much on the rare occasions they were closer enough for him to get a whiff. He could experience this whenever he wanted now.

“I love you,” Crowley hissed, lips kissing against Aziraphale’s neck and making him twitch. “Love you do damn much Aziraphale, more than anything.” 

“My love, my dearest, my light,” Aziraphale said each name like a promise, like a prayer. “My Crowley, I have loved you with the power of a hundred lives since I can remember.” His eyes were wet but he didn’t want to remove his hands from the other being to brush the tears away. There was a suspicious dampness near his collar that signalled that Crowley was having the same predicament. “Perhaps I should have brought a different type of seating.”

Instantly the setee from the bookshop back room appeared in the cleared space. Aziraphale raised an eyebrow that Crowley wasn’t able to see, but led them towards it all the same. They collapsed into the familiar upholstery with Crowley curled up on a sprawling Aziraphale’s lap, his slinky limbs folding in seemingly impossible ways. The champagne was miraculously open and within Aziraphale’s reach, the same with the glasses. 

“Well I suppose the stars will still be there in an hour or two,” he admitted, carefully pouring two glasses and holding one out to Crowley. The demon took it, though he was forced to extract himself from Aziraphale’s neck to do so. 

“We have all the time in the universe now angel. I could take you to every star and show you them close up if you wanted.”

Aziraphale shook his head softly. “That won’t be necessary, dear. I would much rather stay here with you if that’s alright.”

Crowley shifted so he could sip his drink. “But maybe someday? I would… I’d like to show you them. The things I made…”

“Of course, if that’s what you want. I want to see anything you want to show me.” He drank a little as well, savouring the way the bubbles popped on his tongue. He wondered how it would taste on Crowley’s tongue, so he kissed him again. 

Crowley opened eagerly like Aziraphale was offering him water after he’d been stranded in the desert. The champagne sparkled along his lips and teeth, a taste Aziraphale couldn’t get enough of, though it may have been the taste of Crowley that made it better. Those lips that hissed and cursed and spat were undeniably soft against the angel’s, more so than any pillowy dessert ever created.

“Angel--” And Aziraphale didn’t need to hear anymore because he just  _ knew _ what Crowley needed. He smoothed a hand through fiery hair, soothing, grounding, whispering softly. 

“My dear, my best and brightest star, my world,” he repeated them over and over, uttering every endearment he’d held back over the years. Like a precious gift, he gave them all to Crowley now that he could. The fear he’d felt before, over everything being perfect was less because he was beginning to see that Crowley felt Aziraphale was just as perfect as Aziraphale considered Crowley. And it would be unfair, to cast the demon’s opinions aside again. 

That went on for a very long time, long enough that the angel was beginning to suspect Crowley had drifted off. Just as he was about the check--and to make sure the glass of champagne held loosely in the demon’s hand did not end up in their laps--Crowley stirred, looking up at him with slitted eyes. 

“So all those other times you took me out, those were you trying to do this?” he asked before finishing his glass and tossing it into the grass. Aziraphale noticed that the demon had also toed off his shoes and was busy tucking his socked feet under his calves. 

“Yes. I very nearly did it a number of times, but I feel like they were really all leading up to this. Don’t you agree?” Though he wished he’d been able to kiss his love sooner, this really had been the perfect moment. And he hoped it could continue to be perfect until they were ready to leave. 

Crowly shrugged, then nodded. “No, I guess I know what you mean. I just wish…”

“I know, me too. But from here one we can--”

“Together, I know.” It was nice, the closeness, the safety of knowing that Crowley knew him as well as he knew himself. But he wouldn’t punish himself over the time they had lost. It would be more productive, for both of them, if he focused on making the time they would have moving forward to best it could be. It was the least he could do, after keeping Crowley waiting for so long.


End file.
